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Root of the Week: MAL (Monday)

  • Charlotte O'Connell
  • Feb 24
  • 1 min read

Malady (Noun), Malaria (Noun), Malignant (Adjective), Malingerer, (Noun)  

A malady is an ailment or disease. For example, the mosquito-borne disease malaria got its name from medieval Italians who attributed the illness to the effects of mala aria, bad air. When a tumor is found to be cancerous, it is designated malignant to distinguish it from a benign, or non-cancerous, tumor.  


Sometimes people pretend to be afflicted by a malady in order to get out of unpleasant obligations. The word for such clever strategists is malingerer. Are there any kids who have never engaged in a little malingering on school days?

 
 
 

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